Chase the Fire
by SecretLollies
Summary: "I remember." Elena remembers Damon's shocking speech. They both fall prey to the crackling electricity between them. The chemicals collide. It's time for fun.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello. (: This is just a sudden one shot that came to mind.. I don't know if I'll continue it. Tell me If you would like me to. Thanks for reading this. (: Please, please review. They make me smile every time. :D Thank you all! Bye (:**

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"I remember."

Elena appeared at the doorway, her hair lay wet and a little curled at the ends on her shoulders. Damon eyed her curiously, pressing the warmed bottle of scotch to his lips and tipping it to trickle the liquid down his throat. He smacked his lips together, licked them and then stood up. She stared hard at him with her dark eyes, her eyebrows knitting together across her brow in a thin line of worry. He walked with a bounce in her direction, his dead smile growing wider with each step.

"And what exactly would we be talking about?" He grumbled, tossing the empty bottle to the tiled floor beside him. He smiled brightly as the _crash_ it made met his ear. She sucked in a harsh breath of air, and put her hands on her hips. "You know what we're talking about, Damon." She said bitterly, her mood souring his own even more.

He groaned and rolled his icy eyes in her direction. "Don't irritate me, Elena," He muttered, watching her flinch, "I've had a shit day." He trudged silently past her, continuing outside through the double doors. He felt her follow him out into the night. He smiled. He liked letting her take the bait. It provided him some good entertainment watching her get all fussy and worked up over the annoying things he deliberately did.

"Damon, wait." She asked from behind him, pausing suddenly with a hitch in her breathing. Her pulse had been gathering speed along with her thumping heart, since she had arrived. Damon stopped mid-step, listening intently to it but not turning to face her. _"I remember."_ She breathed, catching onto the leather at his forearm and attempting to pull him around. He shook her off, engrossed as to what could be causing her rising pulse. _Time to play around,_ He thought evilly, zeroed in on her tempting aura.

He whipped around, in what only could be described as an inhuman pace, and met her startled doe eyes with a viscous grin. He took a taunting step forward, canting his head to the right. Hearing her breathing stutter again, he slipped forward another dangerous few inches, enjoying the fleeting emotions dancing across her pretty face. "What's this were reminiscing about again?" He murmured, backing her up to the wall.

Elena felt her eyes widen. She put her hands on Damon's chest, holding him at arms length. She needed that much space from him. Otherwise she would end up intoxicated, _drunk_ with his scent, and then who knew what would happen?

He pressed her up against the cold brick, smiling broadly at her steady climbing pulse. His fingers moved to sieve through the wild hair at her temple. She shivered involuntarily at his touch, his hands exerting electric vibes through her body. "Don't." She whispered raggedly, pushing on his chest.

His shocking eyes flicked to catch her pained stare. "Do you _really_ want that?" He murmured, leaning into her to graze his lips across her cheek. She dropped her hands to her sides, air dancing between her soft lips. "I thought so." Damon chuckled at her ear, placing a kiss at the hollow behind it.

He felt something about Elena's body language shift. Some of the resistance leaving her body was almost tangible. He moved from her ear to stop two inches from her face, ready to question her change. Her warm breath fanned over his face as he watched her, with his eyebrows raised, as her eyes slid shut. He felt her tiny hands on his rough cheeks, felt her pulling him greedily to her.

"Elena, what are you doing?"

Her eyes snapped open, his low voice breaking her out of whatever haze she was engulfed in. Her soft eyes assaulted his being, and he chastised himself internally for ever getting so hung up on this girl. "I remember, Damon." She whispered, her eyelashes creating shadows along her cheekbone as she refused to meet his eye. And then it hit him. The memory bit into him. The memory he had been suppressing to a dark corner of his being for many nights. _She remembered._

His body froze, his joints restricting and preventing any movement. She took a really heavy breath in, lifting her eyes to blink shyly at him. "Huh." He fought against the sudden crackling-with-electricity small space between them, unwilling to fall prey to it so easily. A fire began glowing alight between the two of them. Smothering them both in instant, demanding bucketfuls of desire. Elena let the breath she was holding out in a _whoosh_.

Just as if her breath had aided the fire, it sprung up and out in a sudden explosion of lust. Her fingers groped their way back to Damon's cheeks, and pulled his face to hers in a surprising burst of hunger. He covered her lips with his in return, gently prying them open to meet him halfway. She did more than meet him halfway. As their mouths joined together as one, her hands moved from his face to snake around his neck and lock in place. His skilled hands eating her up in any way they could, leaving her skin tingling and aching for more.

Her head rolled back to rest against the brick as he kissed down her jugular. Skimming over her erratic artery, he felt his damn fangs call to appearance. Growling wolfishly, he flattened his palm against the wall and breathed heavily through his nose. "We have to stop." He hissed, using everything he had inside him to _move away_ from her. Elena set her mouth defiantly and curled her fingers gently around his arm, bringing it back down to her level. She kissed it softly, studying his face with her intuitive eyes. "You won't hurt me." She was almost promising him. He groaned and swallowed back the vampire in him. "You shouldn't believe that." He whispered, his voice broken. She bit her lip, her face unsure. And then they felt themselves falling into each other.

He dragged her from their place by the wall and flew up the stairs to his bedroom. She laughed quietly at his fevered expression, running her long fingers over his features. He smirked and quickly returned to sweeping her off her feet and kissing her until her head spun and she was dizzy. The fire was consuming them both. It was melting them together, and there was no way either of them could defy it dominance.

She had to admit that this was more than she had ever experienced. Stefan had never filled her up with this much embraceable fire. Damon made her feel whole and safe. But her straight lines of thought were quickly falling out the window with his touch. And it didn't frighten her like it should have, instead it coloured her in and left her begging for more.

* * *

"Good. You're awake."

Elena's eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times unbelieving of her surroundings. Damon lay beside her, arms folded behind his head. His small smile grew to a proud grin as Elena took in his bare chest. Swallowing her desire, she backed away a little out of habit.

She then remembered his cold fingers grazing over her hot skin. His soft lips killing any hesitation she possessed in her delicate grasp. "Oh." She squeaked quietly, sneaking back across the bed next to him. He continued to grin at her, using that roll of his eyes to make her head spin.

He rolled to pin her beneath him, her dark hair spread across the pillow under her. A smile tugged at the edges of her lips and he kissed her softly, enjoying the moan that came from the back of her throat. He ran his fingers through her silky hair, feeling it sieve through his hands like sand in an hour glass. "Wait, wait." She squirmed under him, wriggling her hips to try and get free and pressing firmly against his chest. "_Aw_, no." Damon groaned, catching her hands and restricting them from moving. "Don't do _that."_ He trailed his lips along her neck, smiling at the shiver it caused her. She sighed heavily and huffed once in exertion, pushing his face away, her face inscrutable.

"Just a second," She promised, kissing his cheek and sliding out from under him, "I want to ask you something serious." He whined disappointedly and lounged back on the bed, following her with his bright eyes. She stood firmly near his relaxed figure, her hands on her hips.

"Nice shirt." He winked, eyeing the shirt she was wearing suggestively. She blushed, realising that all she had covering her skin was the light small, button up shirt. Not that it was covering _much_ anyway.. "Shut up." She smacked his arm lightly, scarlet blood brightening her face. He laughed.

"Damon," She said seriously, biting her lip. He grew curious at her serious tone and bouncing unstill stare. He propped himself up with a pillow. "Yes..?" He said carefully, catching a breath of her shampoo as she shook out her hair.

She let her teeth worry her lip, a sigh leaving her tensed body. She caught his hand within both of hers, tracing patterns on the back of it. He watched her silently.

"I want you be like you." She said quietly, embarrassment and worry etched lightly into her words. Damon's eyes widened noticeably. "You want to be a _self serving psychopath_?" He mocked, lifting her hand to kiss her palm. She shook her head, wetting her lips. "I want to..be like you and Stefan." She hinted, taking her hand away from him slowly. He sat up abruptly, taking his hand from hers, understanding dawning. "What?" He bit out, not trusting his ears. "You heard me." She murmured, her eyes shiny. He shook his head fiercely, swinging his legs over the bed to stand in front of her. He grasped both her arms in his strong hands and shook her. "Are you _insane_?"

"I want you to change me," She said even quieter, her chocolatey eyes drowning him, "I want you to change me into a vampire."

Damon didn't know what frightened him further; her request, or the fact that he knew she would get her own way.

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_**A/N: So, what did you think? (: Please review! And tell me if you want it to be continued, because I'm not sure yet.. Thanks again! (:**_

_**Update: Thank you all so much for the great response! In only about 13 hours, I had 32 emails from Fanfic about people putting this story to their favourites and on story alert, how cool? I'm so happy! And I think I might continue it. Please review though. Please. (: They're like the best things. Hah, sorry, some of my slang coming through there. :D I'll try and update later today, deal? Review! Thanks! -love flossy. {: **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow. Thank you all **__**so **__**much! So many people have put my story on alert, put me in their favourites, put this story in their favourites; And I am **__**really, really **__**grateful. And the reviews? They make me smile so much! :D Please keep it up! Just take two seconds to tell me what you think, it might better the story if I'm able to meet the things you want me to. (: **_

_**I'm sorry for the really late update.. This week has been.. I guess you could say, bad. Real bad. So, I apologise for that. (: Thanks for sticking with it! This chapter is longer, I think. So, enjoy! Drop me a review? (; Thanks guys! I love ye! (: x**_

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"No."

"Damon, please, if you just lis-"

"Did you not hear me, Elena?" Damon stepped away from her, trying in icy vain to cover up his initial shock "I said no." Elena followed his steps instantly, slinking beside him to slip between his arms again. "I did hear you," She returned, leaving a trace of the bitter fear she had been hiding lace through her words, "But I'm just asking you, _asking you,_" She pleaded with him, standing on her toes to meet him at eye level, "to listen to me."

"I think you should go home," He turned away, grimacing against the pressure gathering in his chest. She slid her fingers around his waist and twined them around his front. "I didn't mean you had to do it now, Damon," She murmured against his cold skin. He sucked at the air and held it in deep, restraining himself. "I think you took that step over the edge and we can all call you insane now," He said, his jaw taut.

Elena pressed herself closer to him. "You don't know what you're asking for," He said tightly, ignoring her advances. He felt her stop breathing for a second, and then her arms untangled from his middle. "I guess you're right." She frowned, moving away from him to sit on the bed.

Damon sighed heavily and flexed his fingers, which had been locked in tight fists since Elena had voiced her request. He didn't want to face her again, for fear she'd kill him with her eyes and he give in to her_. Just like that._

Despite himself,he turned on his feet to find her struggling into a pair of dark blue jeans, her face hidden under the thick curtain of chestnut hair. "What are you doing?" He asked, gesturing towards her and then crossing his arms across his chest. She glanced up at him -he cursed himself for the breath she stole- and blushed bright scarlet. "Going home," She said quietly, sliding her hands under her long tresses and pushing them over her shoulders. He cocked his head, "Why?" She huffed and tucked the long shirt she was wearing into the waistband of her jeans, biting her lip in the meantime to shield any emotions that beckoned to slip across her face, "You told me to."

Damon unfolded his arms stiffly and crossed the room smoothly to stand in front of her. "Elena," He said gently, "You don't have to leave." He held her soft gaze briefly, swallowing back the urge to give in to anything she asked of him. "I think it's better that I do," She considered her options for a long second before concluding that she needed to go.

Damon lifted his hand to touch her silky cheek but stopped an inch short. "I didn't mean it when I said that," He whispered to her, smirking at her unsteady breathing, "You shocked me. That's all." Elena felt the air catch in her throat as a result of the closeness of his fingers. It was almost like they were emitting a sweet aura that was making her mind twirl. "I.." She began, her eyes fixed on his pale white knuckles, "..think I should." She fought with her emotions and walked out of the room, leaving Damon staring after her.

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**_Elena's Point of View._**

"Elena?" Jenna stuck her head around the bedroom door, raising her eyebrows at her silent niece sitting cross-legged on the large bed. I raised my head, lifting my eyes from their vacant gaze at the wooden floor to meet her concerned stare, "Yeah?"

Jenna glanced cautiously around the room, before stepping around the door and closing it quietly behind her. "Anything you wanna talk about?" She approached the question with unease. _Yes. _I shook my head, clamping down on the bubble of words that were beginning to form on my dry lips. She nodded carefully, watching me with studying eyes, "Sure?" I aimed for a casual shrug, and ended up feeling like my shoulders had crumpled in on me. "I'm sure, Jenna," I tossed her a small fake smile and nodded my head, "I'm just tired." She frowned at me, her brow knitting together, "..I'll be downstairs if you need anything, 'kay?" She left the room, the closing door throwing a light wave of stale air from the hallway over my face.

I slid off the bed, feeling the curled knot in my chest begin to unfurl at the edges, threatening to smother me. _What did you _do, _Elena? What about Stefan? _

I felt myself melting into a messy puddle on the floor, one leg bent to my chest while the other lay flat. _You just asked Damon Salvatore to change you into a vampire._

My fingers gripped the hair at my temple. _You betrayed Stefan. You _slept _with Damon. _

Memories of the night before twisted through my mind, mangling my rare logical thoughts and moulding them until they were putty in it's capable hands. Damon let me evade my life for a few short minutes. My life that I loathed with a hatred that continuously burned strong. He played with my heart strings, _infuriated _me beyond pure belief. But settled in his strong arms erected a feeling that was foreign to me. It was painstakingly sweet. It comforted me, let me know that I didn't always have to feign that sugary smile of mine so well.

I groaned into my hands, glaring at the mess spilling out before me. _You love him. _A voice in the back of my head laughed at me.

"Hey, Elena?" _Oh.. __**God.**_

His voice sliced into me, but with my face enclosed safely in the cradle of my hands, he couldn't see my initial frown of shame.

I plastered on the _all _too familiar smile, and stood up, shaking myself a little. "Hey Stefan." His eyes widened at my badly concealed torn expression. "What happened?" He asked, concern darkening his light eyes. He walked towards me, picking my hands up and holding them tightly. I laughed quietly, avoiding his eyes and staring at the floor by my feet, "Um, nothing," I lied breathlessly through my teeth, "I just fell." I raised a shoulder and gave a half-hearted shrug.

He cocked his head to the right, eyeing my face curiously. I smiled shyly at him. "Okay." He smiled sadly back and pulled me to his chest. I breathed his forest-like scent in deeply, glad for the familiar comfort it lent me.

_You don't deserve him._

The voice was right. I didn't.

The revelation brought with it a heavy weight on my shoulders. I sucked in air sharply, feeling it's heavy fingers press into me like a breathtaking fog. Stefan noticed, peeling himself from my locked grip on him and leaning away to glance at my face.

"What is it, Elena..?"

I shook my head weakly, unable to form a sentence. His brow furrowed in concern again. "I.." My breath caught as tears began to threaten to leak through my eyes and break onto my cheeks. He pulled me to him again, holding my head to his shoulder. His gentle fingers braided through my hair carefully.

"Sh," He murmured urgently in my ear, "Don't cry."

My fists gripped onto the fabric of his shirt while I fought the tears. "I'm sorry." I struggled to say, their persuasive demeanour chipping into my calm exterior. Stefan held me silently, his hands stilling on my back. "What're you saying sorry for?" He said against my neck. My answer tangled in my throat and tumbled out of my mouth as a quiet sob.

"Is this about your family not being safe?" He asked, taking my face carefully from the nest in his shoulder and holding it between his hands. His face was an open book of concern, his thumbs lightly stroking along my cheekbones. He looked fit to break down and cry with me, "Talk to me, Elena."

I curled my cold fingers around his hands at my face and drew them away, "I.. I need to be alone right now, Stefan," I ignored the cracking of my voice, and brushed aside the hurt in his eyes, "I'll talk to you later." His jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded smoothly. "Call me if you need anything," He breathed, kissing my cheek. I thanked him silently, hoping he could see it in my eyes, and watched him leave the room.

Picking myself together, I gripped the duvet spread on my bed to stay upright. My knees were beginning to shake, my betrayal weaving it's way through me and cutting me apart. I bit down on my quivering bottom lip and fell into the bed, curling my knees up to my chest.

* * *

"Hey, sweet cheeks."

The voice startled me out of my restless sleep. My eyes opened, blinking into the deep blackness surrounding me. I struggled to make out any nameable shapes in it.

"Over _here._"

A gasp evaded the barrier of my lips and I jumped to the side a little. The voice chuckled darkly beside me, causing my heart to twist again.

"Damon?" I asked foggily, breaking through the haziness of sleep.

"That's my name."

I could almost hear the grin in his voice. "What're you doing here?" I asked him, squinting to see his face. His silent laughter shook the sturdy bed, "I came to see you, of course," I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and pull me closer to him, "You left this morning." I let him clear my head of my previous brooding, enjoying just being with him alone while I could.

"I had to sort things out," I said quietly, letting my fingers crawl across the hard muscles of his stomach, stopping when I had him hugged across the middle. His breathing stuttered for a brief second at my touch and I bit back the urge to smile proudly.

"You could've came _back_," His arm flexed around me and I felt his chin settle atop my head. "It was worth the wait," I countered, wanting to keep him talking so I could fall asleep to the lull of his deep voice, "It's fun to mess with you when you're all fired up." The muscles in his chest and stomach stretched taut and I bit my lip, guessing at the twists he was making with my words in his head. "Not like that, of course," I half whimpered into him, turning my head into his shoulder to hide my embarrassment.

"Hm.."

"Damon?" I asked timidly.

"Mhm?"

"Is coming to see me really the _only_ reason you came?" I heard the undertone of hope seeping into my casual words.

"Mhm."

I sighed contently, turning my face back into his side and closing my eyes. "Can I go to sleep now, seeing as you disturbed me?" His warm lips brushed against my forehead, lingering on the skin there for a moment, "Mhm." I felt his lips turn up into a smile.

"Is that all I'm going to get out of you tonight, _hm_?"

I felt his fingers of his free hand slip under the hem of the heavy jumper I was wearing. "Possibly," His voice was low in my ear, his hand moving to slide under the second layer of my clothing and meeting the skin of my back. I froze in his arms, his fingers sending cold shivers raking through my body. He chuckled blackly, taking his fingers from me and releasing me from his intoxicating spell. He tightened his arms and drew me up closer to him.

"_Now _you can go to sleep," He smirked, running his finger lightly across my lips. I nodded, hiding my flushed cheeks from his melting stare.

Seconds before drifting into unconsciousness, I sat upright abruptly. Damon was startled, his face strained as he listened for something that he wasn't yet hearing surprisingly. "About this morning," I mumbled, crawling until I was sitting right by him. The space between us erected ropes, bribing me to collapse into his ready arms, but I wrestled them, wanting to get say what needed to be said as soon as possible, "I'm sorry I sprung that on you." He watched me studiously.

"Don't worry." Flipping me over onto my back, he climbed on top of me. His knees sank into the bed on both sides of my hips while he hovered above me temptingly. His lips curved into a victorious smirk. He bent down to my neck, pausing a tiny breath from my skin. My pulse was jumping all over the place, and I fought with the spoonfuls of lust that were being handfed to me. "Nonetheless," My words hitched and cracked, "I'm sorry." He groaned and covered my lips with his own, breathing a sweet haze into my head.

My fingers crept up his back and secured around his shoulders. His kiss became deeper, moving his hands from their grip around my wrists and returning to slipping under my clothing. I followed his lead, trailing my fingers under his shirt. He shuddered slightly at my advance.

"I think I'll go back to replying with one syllables," He taunted me, removing his hands from under my clothes. Before rational thought could make an appearance, I grabbed onto his withdrawing hands, allowing him no room for escape. "Please," I pleaded with him, squeezing my eyes shut, "Don't." He grinned widely at me, his bright eyes soft and playful, "I like this you," He approved, kissing my mouth softly, "_But, _you need to sleep." He lounged back onto the bed, ankles crossed.

I moaned and turned away, mumbling curses lethargically under my breath.

"I think it might work."

I curled into my pillow, yawning so wide that it hurt my jaw, "What might?" He caught my shoulder gently and turned me towards him. He was wearing one of those _deep in thought _stares. His face was stony and unreadable. I blinked slowly, realising the hardening of his eyes wasn't just my eyes playing tricks in the nonexistent light. Waiting patiently for him to continue, I twined my fingers with his free hand.

"I think it might work," He said again, his breath shaky, "If we turned you." I stared incredulously at him, my eyebrows lifting. "Into a vampire, I mean," He finished quietly, his icy stare sliding to catch mine.

He caught me off guard. I knew it had been just a spur of the moment, impulsive thought when I asked him. But now that he had clearly thought it through, I wasn't even sure if I wanted it.

I breathed deeply, bracing myself for his reaction when I turned him down.

"I say we do it tonight," He grinned wolfishly. And my refusal died on my lips. Cold fear began dripping through my system. _Hell._

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_**So, what do you think..? Suggestions and criticism are welcome. (: x **_

_**Please, please, pleaaaaase review! Thank you all so much(: **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey! Thanks for the few reviews(: They're always the best things! So thanks so much! And to all of you who put this story/me/my stories into their favourites, it's an honour. :D Please review, guys! Just take two seconds to tell me what you think? If you like it, hate it, love it, think it's okay.. Everything is welcome! Enjoy! (: x**_

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_**Damon's Point of View.**_

_Thank Christ that worked._

Elena's face twisted. She fought to conceal the cascading emotion behind her flawless skin.

"Would you agree?" I pried smoothly.

I felt her hand tighten around mine, "I.." Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, "I think I need to think it through, Damon," Her eyes met mine, "I think I should sleep on it." Listening carefully, I covered up my amusement.

"Why?"

She brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, "It's a big decision." I laughed lightly without humour, untangling her fingers from my hand, "You think I don't know that?" She bit her lip and watched me silently, her eyes betraying her face of it's calm exterior. "I didn't mean that," She assured me, her words heavy, "I just meant that.. I'm not sure what I want."

"So you just asked to.._annoy _me?" I questioned her, sliding off the bed and opting to stand by one of it's posts. She shook her head, her alluring eyes growing wide at my words, "You know the answer to that, Damon," She whispered. I shrugged my shoulders, "Do I, Elena?" She flattened her hands on the bed and sat up straighter, "I'm not a child," She eyed me cautiously, "I can make my own decisions."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Whatever you want to think." Her eyes narrowed, "What's wrong with you?"

"Why would there be something wrong with me?"

"You're acting like a dick, for one," She pointed out, her face gradually becoming more pinched. "And two?" I challenged. She sighed heavily and waved her hand in the air, "Never mind," She scowled darkly, averting her gaze from mine, "Just leave." I stayed where I was, watching her thoughtfully. "It's what you always do," She mumbled, turning over and pulling the covers around herself.

It hurt to hear the words from her lips. But if being mad at me was the only way to keep vampire thoughts out of her head, I was going to stick with it.

I waited a few moments, my arms crossed. She was tense, facing away from me, her breathing low and shallow.

"I thought vampires were supposed to have good hearing?" She whispered after a long awkward pause, tension leaving her hunched shoulders, "Did you not hear me? I said you can leave." My jaw was tight. She squirmed on the bed and turned to catch me off guard with her captivating eyes, "You _can _leave," She murmured, "You don't have to." I narrowed my eyes, attempting to relight her previous anger at me.

"Don't be mad," She mumbled around a yawn. I cocked my head to the side. She nodded mutely, taking my silence as a positive sign and closed her eyes, sleep gaining control over her tired body. I stroked a finger over her cheek, "Goodnight Elena." She rested her face on my palm, "'Night."

I left the room with a sinking feeling.

* * *

_**Elena's Point of View.**_

When I opened my eyes, he was gone. I rubbed my face with my fists, flinching against the bright light coming from the lamp on the table by my bed. I huffed and sat up, resting against the cool headboard. He'd _wanted _to change me. But the thought turned my blood cold with icy fear.

I shivered, my forehead crinkling. I wanted to go find him.

The floor was cold on my feet. I ignored it and tiptoed across to my wardrobe silently. Slipping into my black coat, I heard the distinct sound of my bedroom door open. Repressing the automatic, stifling urge to groan, I felt my fingers clench together.

"Elena?"

I peeked my head around the narrow wardrobe door, "Yeah?" Jeremy leaned on the doorframe, his arms crossed, "What are you doing?" I pulled the jacket around my middle and zipped it, "Going out." I tossed him a small smile and shut the wardrobe. "You realise it's three in the morning, right?" He snorted. "Exactly," I said smoothly, walking around him into the hallway, "So you," I stabbed a finger at him, "shouldn't be up."

He caught onto my arm, "Where are you going?" I whined and shook his arm off, "I'm older than you, remember, Jer?" I started my way down the stairs, "I'm the one who get to ask the questions." He shadowed my footsteps, his face dark, "Don't treat me like a child, Elena."

I stopped in my tracks, my previous conversation with Damon fizzling to mind.

_I'm not a child, I can make my own decisions._

My hand stilled on the banister, "I need to go find.. Stefan." I took a deep breath, instinctively knowing that if Jeremy realised I was going to see Damon, he'd freak.

"In the middle of the night?" He asked with scepticism. I nodded slowly, avoiding his penetrating stare. "Why do I find it hard to believe you?" He mumbled, running a hand through his thick hair. I lifted a shoulder, an apologetic smile on my face.

"Just.. Promise me you'll call if something happens, okay?" He stared hard into my eyes. "I promise, Jer," I squeezed his arm and descended the stairs quickly before he could protest further.

The car groaned easily to life under my hands. I eased it out onto the road, biting my lip at the sight of the clear, black ice. _What was I doing? _Going out in search of the famous _Damon Salvatore _at three in the morning, because I _felt like it. _I didn't even know what bribed me to go see him. All I knew was that I had a gut feeling I needed him at the moment.

I pulled into the Boarding House, cold air grazing my skin all over. Beginnings of flaky, wet snow ground together under my feet as I trudged towards the large building.

"Hello?" I called out tentatively, after opening the large, dark door and closing it behind me again. I reached out with my ears after a long few moments of deafening silence but heard nothing. Huffing in frustration, I ambled back to my car, scrambled awkwardly into it and headed towards the Grill.

The street was deserted, fog bouncing off the cold surfaces. I braced myself against the icicle laden air and shuffled towards the Grill. The windows left yellow light spill from their latches, assuring me that there _was _at least someone inside there.

I pushed down the handle and stepped inside. My eyes widened in surprise as I drank in the contents of the room. Instead of the tired drunks lounging by the bar, surrounded by earth colours on every surface, there was an uncountable number of skinny blondes and slinky redheads twirling with each other under a splaying of bright, multicoloured lights from the ceiling. The room was struggling to deal with the explosions of colour, every crack and crevice groaning in it's effort to contain everyone and everything.

I swallowed dryly, hastily scanning the room for Damon. A flash of dark hair sliding towards the back entrance locked my eyes. I took a few steps forward, my mouth open to call him back when he wrapped his tanned, slender arm around a tiny brunette and kissed her hair. _Oops. Not Damon._ I blushed and rocked back on my heels, ready to bolt for the door again.

"Would you like to come join my party somewhere..else?" A man stood before me, his eyes reflecting the candyfloss coloured lights. His breath held a strong stench of alcohol. I shook my head instantaneously, getting a _stay clear of him _vibe off him, "No, thank you." He shot me a mocking look, curling his lips into a twisted smile. "Um, excuse me," I mumbled, moving to step around him. He extended his chubby arm, his face falling in fake disappointment . "Please," I added on to the end, eyeing him carefully. He failed to remove his barrier. His persistence frayed at my already crispy edges.

"Please, just get out of my way," I said more firmly, attempting to step around him again. I grimaced in disgust at the shimmering beads of sweat running down his temples. He quickly moved to _stay_ in my way, much to my building irritation, shadowed by two older friends who seemed to appear out of nowhere. Altogether, I'll admit they intimidated me like hell. But we were in the middle of a completely jointed room, what was there to worry about more than being peeked at under the bathroom stall doors?

"Aw, babe," He slurred, budging closer to me, "Don't be like that." I sighed and put my hands on my hips, raking my eyes over him."Really?" I argued, "I don't think you have _any _say in how I _be._" He stumbled back and put a hand to his heart, laughing at my expression, "Oooh, that was below the belt, girl," He bellowed in laughter.

I exhaled loudly and walked the opposite way from him, towards the back entrance. "Pig," I spat through my teeth, exiting the colour soaked, electric atmosphere.

Outside, nightfall had started bringing with it icy air, mingled with unnerving superstitions. I shivered, watching my breath curl up in a snake of water vapour in the air, buttoning my jacket up to the chin. I walked slowly, listening to my footsteps echo off the plain concrete all around me. I avoided my car, wanting to just _walk _for once. I wanted to rid my head of any persuasive demons.

After a few minutes quiet traipsing, I turned a corner, barely noticing that I had switched onto a series of unfamiliar dark, empty alleyways. Lost in thought, I continued walking, tucking my nose and mouth into the collar of my jacket.

_Crack. _

The back of my skull collided with the brick wall with a shattering sound. My blood froze. "As I was saying, Doll," The same pissed drunk voice breathed in my ear, "Don't be like _that." _I bit my lip against the sudden searing in the base of my skull. I could almost smell the iron in the blood that I instinctively knew was dripping from it.

"This'll be all over quick," The man secured my two wrists in one of his beefy hands, leaning into my ear, "If you do what we say." I turned my head from him, my cheek pressed against the cold wall. Kicking at his _precious parts, _I hoped to immobilise him just enough so I could run until my calves gave up, and then start screaming until my lungs bled. But, of course, the two men who had stuck to him in the Grill, now flagged his both sides.

One smiled at me, I could almost read the horrible things he was passing through his mind out of the smugness radiating from him. The other just stared hard at me, unseeing, his face tight and unemotional. The fat guy at my front passed one of my struggling arms to each of them and they held them stably, not leaving me any chance for escape.

"What do you want?" I puffed and huffed, using all my strength to pull my arms from their strong grasps. The man touched my temple lightly, his skin gliding over my face to cover my mouth. His eyes sparkled as he watched me struggle.

"Just stay quiet," He murmured, withdrawing a sharp object from his pocket. It glinted. My stomach fell. I felt tears squeeze out through my eyes as I tried with everything I had to break free of the lock on my wrists. The man taunted the knife in front of my face, smiling in satisfaction at every one of my pained squeaks when he touched it to my skin, applying pressure but not drawing blood. Instead, he used it to tear up the front of my coat and shirt, until nothing was covering my upper body but a now shredded tank top and bra.

I whimpered, biting his hand and aiming my foot at his knee. "Ah, ah, ah.." He scolded, drawing a tear up the length of my jeans. I fell slack, unable to derive any ways of escape from my strangled mind. The salt water still trickled from my eyes and over his hands.

"See," He murmured, handing the glittery knife over to one of his accomplices, "We can do this the _easy _way if you're quiet." His fingers slipped under the strap of my bra. I tried to move away from him, my insides churning, but was held still by his helpers. I cried out, earning a perverse smile from each of them, even the one who was possibly made of stone.

The man traced my body; starting at my collar bone and moving down to my hips, making the skin burn like his touch was corrosive acid. He paused at my waist, eyes flickering to my twisted face as I tried to untangle myself from the metal lock of the other men. He unhooked my jean's button, and let them fall.

I screamed against his hand, thrashing about as much as I could, aiming my kicks anywhere they'd go. "No one can hear you," The man hissed, pressing his hand tighter to my mouth, "And I told you already; the easy way, or the hard way." He emphasized his threat by glancing back at his friend who willingly displayed the blade. I shut my mouth against the onslaught of tearing sobs I felt coming on. He smiled again and patted my cheek, "Good."

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**_So.. Opinions? What do you think will happen? (; Review! Thanks! Bye!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Well.. Where do I begin apologising for the extremely long wait? How about with, I'm sorry! I've been so busy lately.. But I hope to update more often after now. Hope to! :D Thank you all for bearing with me! I've included a little bit of a different language in here, so if you want to translations, tell me in a review or something and I'll put them in, okay? (: I hope you enjoy! Pleaaaaaaaaaaase review. :D :D Love you all! - flossy. {:_**

**_Update: Translations below. _**

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The man's fingernails dug into my skin as he crawled them around my waist to press against the small of my back. Just as he was about to tear that last bit of innocence from me forever, we heard a low, guttural growl. His prying fingers stilled on my clammy skin. Quickly stalking the growl was a sharp _snap, _and my right arm was free. A dull _crush _later and my left arm was released. The man looked into my eyes, his own dirty blue dilating in fear. It rolled off him in slowly moving racks.. And then he was gone too.

I didn't move, my body still positioned as if the greedy hands had remained holding me in place. I blinked glossily at the consuming darkness, the sound of my shallow breathing echoing off the walls closing in on me.

A hand enclosed around my trembling fingers, and clasped them together in a warm palm. Trapped in a state of shock and fear, a budding hope that maybe it was Damon or Stefan ignited in my chest. It pulled me gently away from the wall. I stumbled over my feet, catching myself on the solid body in front of me.

"Damon?" The sound of my crackling voice grated against my ears, it sliced through the air awkwardly. The grip on my hand tightened considerably in response. I cleared my throat, "I.. I was stupid to come down here alone, I know," I twisted my fingers in his large hand, wanting to reach up to touch his face. Wanted to reassure myself that it was him

"Yeah, we're ready. Come on," The person spoke, I knew it wasn't directed at me. His voice was low and deep, bitterness clearly twisting through his words. I felt a gasp tear from the core of my body. "Wha-"

He slapped a hand across my mouth, "Don't." I flinched against the sharp sting of pain. Down the alleyway, a rusty streetlight flickered, bathing the surrounding area in dusty colour, and sent a sliver of light racing down my direction.

He had a mop of thick white-blonde hair splayed across his head. Covering his right cheekbone was a long, nasty-looking scar. His eyes slid to the right, eyeing something with slight trepidation, before they returned to my face.

The realisation that he might not be some supernatural being powered me. Maybe I could fight him off? We were, at least, possibly on somewhat equal footing.

I pulled from his grasp, huffing in exertion and turned on my heels, the friction probably creating steam on the paving that I was on. He didn't hold on to me, but merely sighed heavily at my escape plan.

"Yeah, go ahead. Catch her," I heard him mutter lifelessly from behind me. It dawned on me, with a dull ache in the pit of my stomach, that all that was around us were tall, brick walls that led onto more dark alleys. My breath hitched as I sought the way back to familiarity. My attempt was in vain, of course.

"Calm down, bunny," Another voice quipped up, a female voice. I spun around again, backing up until my back was pressed for the second time that night against the cool wall. My eyes flicked around, trying to find the source of the voice. A pale hand surfaced out of the black and reached for me. I took with my instincts, and aimed an elbow in the direction of where the subject's face should be. A stomach-churning _crunch _rewarded me.

"_Beidh tú leithscéal as sin.." _The girl hissed, her voice changing back into native tongue. I recognised it from all those bad movies. It drained through my mind. But I couldn't put a finger on it exactly.

I flinched automatically and cowered by the wall, expecting a sharp blow to be returned. _"Ná déan é, Ailbhe.." _The now-invisible man said warningly to her. _"Ná bígí ag caint, Liam," _She, _Ailbhe_, ground out between her teeth. I heard her move closer, _"Tá tuillte aici." _The man, _Liam, _heaved a sigh again and gave in.

A rack of shattering pain spread through my head, sprouting from my temple. I raised a hand to touch it, find out what was causing it. "See, now she'll be easier to handle," Ailbhe pointed out happily. I blinked once, the stars that had begun clouding my vision not disappearing.

Ailbhe stepped into focus, her small head canted to the side. _"Oíche mhaith, a chailín," _She whispered. I passed out.

* * *

My head _hurt_. That's all I could process when I came to. I felt a moan rumble in my chest. _Get up. Wake up. Get up. _My focus was caught in a web of confusing words. It told me to jump and run for my life. But I didn't listen to it. I idly thought that I was just suffering from the aftershock of a nightmare.

Footsteps. "Yes, I understand _that. _What I _don't _understand is why you _knocked her out_." Stefan's familiar voice flooded my head. While familiar, it sported _unfamiliar _sour anger. It sounded too foreign coming from his lips. I squeezed my eyes together and then opened them. I was blinded by white light.

"Elena!" Stefan squeaked, suddenly right by my ear. I blinked and sat up stiffly. Glancing at the lumpy, overstuffed couch I was sitting on, I noticed a small smudge of blood where my head had been. My mind and stomach reeled simultaneously.

Stefan grabbed both of my hands and held them in his. I gazed dizzily at him. "Hey," He said softly, holding my stare, "It's okay." I looked briefly around the room we were in. We were back at the Boarding House. I shook out my hair, almost hoping to shake off the queasy feeling that something was not right.

"I _told _you she'd be alright!" The high-pitched voice tugged at the corner of my memory. Stefan's eyes narrowed and he stood up, standing protectively in front of me.

A shock of bright orange hair matched with a pretty face rounded the corner, "Mornin', Elena," She grinned condescendingly at me. I raised an eyebrow at her. A boy with creamy blonde hair followed her, his hand wrapped around a glass containing thick, dark liquid. Stefan tensed at their entrance.

"Um, hi?" I looked between her pale, freckled face to Stefan's. He sighed and crossed his arms, "Do you remember them?" He inclined his head in their direction. "I think.." I said quietly, my forehead crinkling, "I know I remember them from somewhere.." All eyes in the room were on me, burning through me. I blushed deeply.

"Hah!" The smiling girl descended the two steps leading into the lower part of the room fluidly, pushing her hair over her shoulder, "Again, I told you it would work." Stefan unfolded his arms and clenched his fists, his warning glare not even phasing her. "Besides, it's kinda cute that she doesn't remember me," She grinned in obvious joy.

"What did you give her, Ailbhe?" Stefan questioned, dark shadows crawling on the skin beneath his eyes. "_Tóg a bog é," _She giggled, sitting down on the couch opposite us and leaning back. "_Stop _doing that," He spat through closed teeth. She crossed her long legs, her dark eyes lighting at his discomfort, "Why, does it annoy you?"

He growled under his breath, sinking into the seat next to me. I tested her name out on my tongue. _Al-vah. _Her face sent a shiver of unrest down my spine. I recognised her from somewhere.

"Relax, relax," She grumbled, beckoning for the blonde man to come sit next to her. He did as he was told, eyeing Stefan with interest as he licked crimson coloured blood from his lips. Ailbhe lay a feather light hand on his knee and withdrew a clear vial from her pocket. "This," She ogled at the little bottle, twirling it in her fingers, "is what I gave her."

Stefan's back straightened, "And that is?" She rolled her eyes, dropping the bottle into her companion's lap and leaned forward on her knees, "It's a little something to help her forget what nearly happened before we arrived." _What __**did **__happen? _"Looks like I may have given her a tad bit too much though." She frowned at me, her eyebrows pulling together. "_Looks like it_," Stefan echoed sarcastically, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "You had no reason to give it to her anyway." Her easy smile twitched, "Calm down, Stefan, she'll remember everything in like an hour." She relaxed back onto the blonde's shoulder.

I took a deep breath in, steadying the confusing haze that was beginning to choke me. They were speaking like I wasn't even there. "Wait a second," I said uncertainly, calling attention to the separate pairs of eyes again, "Would anyone like to tell me what the hell is going on?" Stefan's arm tightened around me, "Well-"

"Basically, you stupidly went in search of someone at quarter past three this morning and got lost down a dark alley where some fat guy and his friends tried to take advantage of you," The blond man spoke for the first time. I struggled to make out some of the words he was saying, his strange accent elongating and accentuating random sounds, "That's when Ailbhe and I showed up, saved your ass and gave you this magic joo-joo to make you forget what happened." He didn't look up, just ran his fingers through Ailbhe's spiral curls and spoke quietly.

I swallowed heavily and opened my mouth to give voice to an answer that I didn't have.

"Damon's home," Ailbhe mumbled sleepily. Stefan stood up, pulling me up by the hand and dragged me out of the room.

"Stefan, what ha-" He killed my words by kissing me quickly on the lips, his hands flat on my back. I returned the kiss only slightly before pushing him back by the chest. "Sorry," He apologised sheepishly, "I was worried about you." I nodded slowly, cupping my hands around my elbows. "I need to go out for a while," He glanced towards the room we had just left cautiously, "Damon's home though and I'll be back in a day or so. And Ailbhe and Liam won't be leaving for a while." He rubbed his hand down my arm, trying to warm me up. I lifted a finger, indicating for him to pause, "Who _are_ they?"

He grimaced, "I know Ailbhe may come across strong, and Liam is a little.. odd but we can trust them. I've known them for years." I felt my eyes widen, "Are they..?""Yeah, they are." It surprised, and worried, me that the fact didn't frighten me.

I wet my lips, "Okay. I'll be fine here, you go do what you need to." He glanced at me carefully. A gut feeling told me he was hiding something. I tilted my head to the side and eyed him pointedly. He looked awkwardly at his shiny shoes, "We all need to talk about something when I get back.." He mumbled through his teeth, "Bye Elena." With that he left through the front door. I ran a shaky hand through my hair.

"Hm, so your Stefan is quite a piece of work," Ailbhe winked in approval, appearing beside me. I jumped, leaving a loud squeal escape me. "But," She smiled widely at me, "I know you've secretly got the hots for _Damon_." It took me a second to untangle what she was saying, but when I did, I narrowed my eyes at her, my lips falling into a frown, "I don't know what you're talking about. I love Stefan." I lied automatically.

She reached back to lace her fingers through Liam's, "I suppose maybe I did give you too much of that stuff," She considered, her eyebrows raised, "But, you needn't worry, you'll remember everything soon. Including Damon." She yawned, " _Bígí curamach anocht, Elena. Codladh go mhaith, a chailín óg,_" Liam nodded once at me and the both of them turned to take the stairs. Gaping into nothing, I wondered hard about what the _hell _she could've said in that foreign language.

Biting down on my lip, I went in search of something to take my mind off of things.

"Feisty little piece of Irish stuff, isn't she?"

I stopped in my tracks, my breathing still. "Damon?" I asked doubtfully. "That's right, kitten."

I whipped around to face him. His face stunned me silent for a pure second. "That's what they are? Irish?" I pressed my lips together, unwillingly to leave anything stupid to pass through them. He nodded and stepped closer, "Wanna know what they're doing right now?" His eyes danced over me greedily. I shook my head instantly, heat pooling in my cheeks. He laughed at my expression, "Well, I'll be on my way then." He gave me a wave, in the form of a flick of his fingers, and left. I heard him move around upstairs in his bedroom a few short seconds later.

Yeah, you guessed it, I followed hot on his heels.

I threw open the heavy door, panting from my run up the stairs. Damon looked over his shoulder at me from where he was standing in the corner, assessing a leather covered book in his hands. A journal maybe? His hair was tousled and hung over his forehead in funny curly pieces.

"I.. um.." I stammered, unsure of what to say. Doubts began to cloud my judgement. Maybe the crap Ailbhe force fed me had made me delusional? Had I really spent two nights with Damon or was it all a figment of my overactive imagination?

I felt myself grow scarlet again, "I.. didn't know where to sleep," I lied badly. He cocked his head, the famous smirk tilting on his lips, "So you came to my room?" I closed the door and stepped in, walking cautiously towards the bed, "Um, yeah, Stefan said he had to leave for a day.. And I don't feel right sleeping in his room without him knowing.."

He gestured towards the dark wooded bed, "Well, by all means you can stay here, once you take into account that I will be too." His smirk extended into a full-watt grin at the end of his sentence. I slid into the soft bed, pulling the covers around me. "Goodnight, Damon," I mumbled. He turned out the lights, "Night, Elena."

After long, silent moments of lying there, tension knotting in my stomach, I slid back out of the bed and padded over to where I could hear him still rummaging around in his bookcase. In the dark.

"Did it really happen?" I demanded of him suddenly. His hands quietened and he took a deep breath, "Yes." The muscles in his back tensed. He turned around slowly, melting me with his shocking eyes when he met my own. I gravitated towards him, feeling a draw between us.

"I thought you would've forgotten," He admitted softly, shrugging a shoulder, "Or regretted it."

"One," I whispered, quieter than a breath, "I could never forget," I moved closer to him. "Two," I continued, closing the distance that bit more. I was at eye-level with his chest now, breathing in his unique scent, "I'd never regret anything to do with you." I tilted my head back and looked up at him.

"That makes two of us then," He chuckled, pulling my face to his to kiss me. I put both hands on his face and kissed him back.

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_**S******__o, woul_d you like those translations? What did you think of this chapter? :D Every thing is excepted, so feel free to speak your mind! (: Thank you so much for reading. Review? ;) Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year to Everyone! Bye! xx

_**Translations;**_

___****__Beidh tú leithscéal as sin- You'll be sorry for that._

_****____Ná déan é, Ailbhe- Don't do it, Ailbhe. (Al-Vah.)_

_****______Ná bígí ag caint- Don't talk/stop talking._

_****________Tá tuillte aici- She deserves it._

_****__________Oíche mhaith, a chailín- Good Night, girl._

_****____________Tóg a bog é- Relax/Chill out/Calm down._

_****____________Bígí curamach anocht, Elena. Codladh go mhaith, a chailín óg- Be careful tonight, Elena. Sleep well, little girl._  



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